Monday, September 17, 2012

a little garden craving

Isn't there absolutely something charming about having a little fountain in your garden at home! I'd love to have something like a small wall fountain, the kind one sees in Italy. I think it gives a really nice touch to a garden, especially if you have a small space but want to make an impact. The idea of having outdoor garden fountains is nothing new, it's been done down the ages, but now I find that the smaller pieces are becoming so much more interesting and do-able for people living in cities, people with tiny slivers of "gardens", which may be nothing more than the path leading to the door!

On working from home

I've been working from home since July 2005 and simply love everything about it. While to some it might almost seem as not working at all, working at home requires more discipline than most people think. It's not all about sitting at the computer in your pajamas, which I make it a point never to do. I started freelance writing for a Bangalore based company quite by accident, which grew to doing more formal business writing for them and then research and analysis for a local Bombay based company that I worked as a consultant. I make sure to organize my day just as I would if I were in office and although it's hard to avoid interruptions from neighbors, couriers, etc, it only means one has to be more efficient in doing one's work. While there are tons of work at home business opportunities these days, one has to work hard at being successful from home, just as one works from the office.

a concert a day!

We recently upgraded our cable connection to a better package and to the dvr system and since then have been able to watch all our favorite shows instead of watching whatever was on, usually something that one didn't want to see all that much. So, lately, I have caught up with many of my old favorites new seasons and movies, with several still waiting for us to see. Interestingly, one of the things that I enjoyed most of all was the different concert series of live performances of artists from around the world performing right here in our city. I loved watching how these bands are able to set up their systems where ever they are and make it look so effortless. Yes, they have great teams who put it all together, but it's also thanks to equipment such as on stage stands musicians friend that make all the difference. Everything from single brace stands to tripod mike stands to heavy duty keyboard stands travel with these bands a cross the globe making them look really professional, even if they're a new and unknown band. Next time you go to a concert, notice how detailed and specific they are to each instrument!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

a uniform year!

And here starts another school session, and this time it feels so close to me, since E will probably join next year this time around. It seems so soon, too soon, although sometimes not soon enough! Now that I have a child, I notice things like kids wearing school uniforms much more than I did earlier. Most of the schools here have great uniforms, and actually even nurse uniforms in hospitals are nicer than other places. Ever since the tv show scrubs started, there have become so much more recognizable and used in even the smaller clinics etc instead of the usual coats.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Webcity funds tree plantation drive

One of Australia's biggest web hosting and domain name registration companies, Webcity is leading the way for companies to be environmentally friendly. The company is funding a movement to plant trees to offset carbon emissions, a move that is sure to be followed by other environment-aware firms. Webcity Web Hosting Australia was founded in 1997 and has served over 20,000 customers since then.

what's on your mind?

Everyone says I'm a diplomatic person, but then every once in a while I say something so blunt that it upsets someone or the other. Does that happen to you too? I hate to hurt people on purpose, just to make them feel bad, but sometimes what one thinks is ok to say, the other person might take offense and get hurt. Oh well, it has to happen once in a while. After all, I get hurt by what people say too. That say, I don't wear my heart on my sleeve, or emotions or feelings like people who wear customized t-shirts to say their mind.